Travel guide · Sri Lanka
Colombo travel guide
Colonial Fort streets, Buddhist temples and seafront sunsets on the Indian Ocean
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Colombo is Sri Lanka's commercial capital and main gateway, a long seafront city stretching south from the old Fort district and the market lanes of Pettah along Galle Road. Portuguese, Dutch and British rule left churches, warehouses and grand hotels, while Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim communities keep temples, kovils and mosques busy. Most travellers spend one to three days here at the start or end of a trip around the island, eating crab and hoppers, visiting Gangaramaya and watching the sunset from Galle Face Green. Plan 2 days for a first visit; the best months are December–March.
Key facts
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Best time to visit
- December–March
- Ideal stay
- 2 days
- Main airports
- CMB
- Mid-range daily budget
- $70–$160 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Galle Face Green, Gangaramaya Temple, Pettah markets and Crab curry
Why visit Colombo
- Galle Face Green's seafront promenade fills at sunset with kite flyers, families and stalls frying isso vadai prawn fritters.
- Pettah's market lanes and the candy-striped Red Mosque sit a few minutes' walk from the colonial buildings of the Fort.
- The food scene ranges from kottu roti and hoppers to celebrated crab restaurants in the restored Dutch Hospital.
- Geoffrey Bawa's architecture, from the Seema Malaka lake temple to his former townhouse and office, is concentrated here.
- Colombo is the hub for trains and roads to Galle, Kandy and the beaches of the west and south coasts.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Waterfront · Galle Face and Kollupitiya
Galle Face Green
This 500-metre seafront lawn and promenade, laid out by the British in 1859, is where Colombo comes to relax.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
- Outdoors
Religious site · Slave Island
Gangaramaya Temple
One of Colombo's most important Buddhist temples mixes Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese styles, with a bodhi tree, a vihara full of Buddha statues and an eclectic museum of gifts, from vintage cars to clocks.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Religious site · Slave Island
Seema Malaka
Designed by architect Geoffrey Bawa in the 1970s, this meditation hall for monks floats on three platforms in Beira Lake, connected by walkways and lined with seated Buddha statues.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Couples
- Photo spot
- After dark
Museum · Cinnamon Gardens
National Museum of Colombo
Sri Lanka's largest museum, opened in 1877 in a white Italianate building, holds the throne and crown of the last king of Kandy, ancient Buddhist bronzes, traditional masks and colonial-era paintings.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Park · Cinnamon Gardens
Viharamahadevi Park
Colombo's largest central park, formerly Victoria Park, faces the white-domed Town Hall and has a large seated Buddha, fountains, shady trees and a children's playground.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Market · Pettah
Pettah markets
Just east of the Fort, Pettah is a grid of streets where each lane specialises: spices and dried fish, fabrics, electronics, hardware or gold.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Photo spot
Where to stay
Fort is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 6 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and food lovers
Fort
Colonial-era business district of banks, port views and restored landmarks
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, nightlife and luxury
Galle Face and Kollupitiya
Seafront hotels, Galle Road restaurants and the Green
$$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, shopping and culture
Cinnamon Gardens
Leafy Colombo 7 of museums, parks, embassies and boutiques
$$ · Best for budget, culture and solo travellers
Slave Island
Old multicultural quarter between Beira Lake and new towers
What to eat
- Rice and curry — Sri Lanka's everyday meal: rice with a spread of curries — dhal, jackfruit, beetroot, fish or chicken — plus pol sambol (coconut relish) and mallung (shredded greens).
- Hoppers — Bowl-shaped fermented rice-and-coconut pancakes with crisp edges; an egg hopper has an egg cooked in the middle.
- Kottu roti — Chopped flatbread stir-fried on a griddle with vegetables, egg, curry sauce and meat, made with a rhythmic clatter of metal blades that you hear before you see.
- Lamprais — A Dutch Burgher dish of rice cooked in stock, meat curry, frikkadels (meatballs), blachan and eggplant, wrapped in a banana leaf and baked.
- Isso vadai — Crunchy lentil fritters topped with whole prawns, served with sliced onion and chilli sauce.
- Crab curry — Sri Lankan mud crab cooked in a rich, peppery curry or with garlic chilli sauce; the island's lagoon crabs are prized across Asia.
When to go
The best time to visit Colombo is December to March, when the west coast is driest, seas are calm and sunsets are clear. April and July to September are workable with showers. May and October are the wettest months, with heavy downpours and rough seas.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Dry season | December–March | Sunny days, calm seas and peak season on the west and south coasts; book hotels ahead for Christmas and January. |
| First inter-monsoon | April | Hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms; New Year festivities close many businesses for a few days. |
| South-west monsoon | May–September | Heavy rain peaks in May and June, then turns showery; rough seas close west-coast swimming, but prices are low. |
| Second inter-monsoon | October–November | Frequent, heavy afternoon and evening storms; one of the wettest periods of the year in Colombo. |
Getting there and around
Bandaranaike International Airport is at Katunayake, about 35 km north of central Colombo. The expressway takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour by taxi or app car; bus 187 runs to Colombo Fort more slowly and cheaply. Negombo's beach hotels are about 15 minutes from the airport.
Colombo stretches about 15 km along the coast, with most visitor areas strung along Galle Road. Tuk-tuks and ride-hailing apps are the easiest way around; the Fort, Pettah and Galle Face can be walked, and coastal trains are a scenic way south.
Plan your days
One day covers Pettah, the Fort, Gangaramaya and a Galle Face sunset. A second day adds the National Museum, Bawa's architecture, shopping in Colombo 7 and a beach evening at Mount Lavinia; most visitors then head to Galle, Kandy or the south coast.
Practical information
- Currency
- LKR
- Language
- Sinhala, Tamil and English
- Plugs
- Type D, G and M sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Drink bottled or filtered water; tap water is not generally recommended for visitors.
- Emergency number
- Police 119, ambulance 1990
- Tipping
- A 10% service charge is usually added to bills in restaurants and hotels; extra tips for good service are appreciated.
Common scams include friendly strangers near Galle Face and the Fort who claim a temple festival is on and steer visitors into gem shops, and tuk-tuk drivers who overcharge. Sea currents on the west coast are strong, especially from May to September, so swim only where it is safe.
Flights to Colombo
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Colombo?
One day covers Pettah, the Fort, Gangaramaya and a Galle Face sunset. A second day adds the National Museum, Bawa's architecture, shopping in Colombo 7 and a beach evening at Mount Lavinia; most visitors then head to Galle, Kandy or the south coast. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Colombo?
The best time to visit Colombo is December to March, when the west coast is driest, seas are calm and sunsets are clear. April and July to September are workable with showers. May and October are the wettest months, with heavy downpours and rough seas.
+What is Colombo known for?
Galle Face Green, Gangaramaya Temple, Pettah markets, Crab curry, Hoppers and kottu, Ceylon tea and Geoffrey Bawa architecture. Galle Face Green's seafront promenade fills at sunset with kite flyers, families and stalls frying isso vadai prawn fritters.
+Is Colombo expensive?
Colombo is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $70–$160 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Colombo?
Not for the city. For touring Sri Lanka, most visitors hire a car with driver rather than self-drive, as roads are busy and driving conventions take getting used to.